Responding to the reports, the club released a statement on Twitter accusing the outlet of being “fake news” and challenged the paper to name the players involved.

The statement read: “Bray Wanderers chairman, Gerry Mulvey, challenges Cowzer and/or O’Riordan and/or the Irish Sun to name any, or all, of the players who have not yet received their monthly wages or who were even late receiving same.

“If any of those named were even late receiving their wages, then Mulvey will donate a sum equivalent to their gross wages for the month to a charity of choice of Cowzer and O’Riordan.

“If, on the other hand, the players named were in fact paid on time then Cowzer and O’Riordan or The Irish Sun can donate those players’ gross wages for the month to the Wicklow Hospice Foundation (www.wicklowhospice.ie) which is due to host a Football Legends Charity match in the Carlisle Grounds next September.